1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the two fields of keyboard covers and copyholders, and in particular to a copy-holding dust cover for a keyboard such as a computer keyboard, word processor keyboard or the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various copyholders, book holders and music stands are known for supporting a copy such as a sheet of paper in an upright or somewhat-inclined position for viewing. In U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,505,814 and 2,650,658, both to Voorhorst, a free standing pivotal copyholder device is positioned immediately to the rear of a typewriter, for holding a paper in the typist's view. With typewriters, the blank sheet to be typed and/or the finished sheet extend upwards from a platen at the rear of the device. The blank sheet will cover at least a portion of such a copyholder unless the copyholder is positioned well above the keys. On the other hand, placing a copyholder closer to the typist causes the copyholder to obstruct view of the keys or the typed sheet, or both. For these reasons, copyholders are normally placed to one side of the keyboard.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,574,575-MacIntyre, a device for feeding copies is pivotally positionable in an upright position, where it feeds and then receives sheets of paper to be typed. The feeder pivots to a lowered position for storage. Although both the Voorhorst and MacIntyre devices may be folded down over the typewriter, neither device tends to protect the keyboard from dust or the like, and both are associated with the paper in the area of the platen.
Copyholders which do not purport to assist in protecting a typewriter from dirt are shown, for example in U.S. Pat. No. 2,317,821-Stein, U.S. Pat. No. 1,615,959-Slavik and U.S. Pat. No. 1,370,737-Furrey. A number of alternatives are disclosed in these patents for positioning the copyholder where required, usually well clear of the keyboard, for example, to the side. In the patent the Furrey, for training beginner typists, the copyholder may be positioned at a space above the keys to conceal the keys from the typist.
The present invention relates to a dust cover/copyholder which is particularly adapted for use with keyboards for data processing machines, computers and the like. In such machines, no paper is fed or produced at the keyboard housing itself. There is nevertheless a need for supporting copies of various description, such as text, flowcharts, character code listings and the like.
Keyboards for electronic equipment such as computers are frequently associated with a CRT display. The display often is not rigidly or physically attached to the keyboard device. By attaching the dust cover/copyholder of the invention to the rear of the keyboard, the user can conveniently position the copy to be typed in close proximity to the keyboard and also in close proximity to the CRT display. Therefore, the copyholder allows for efficient typing.
The dust cover/copyholder of the invention efficiently protects the keyboard from dirt and the like, while allowing normal access of air to all the surfaces of the keyboard except the upper, dust-accumulating surface. In this respect, the invention is superior to dust covers in the form of inverted bags or boxes which cannot be left on the keyboard housing of an electric device while the device is on, without danger of undue heat. Using the invention, power can remain on and an ongoing program or the like can be run with the keyboard nevertheless protected from dust.
Although the invention indeed includes a copyholder having some features of known copyholders such as an inclined, paper-supporting surface, the invention is positioned in an unconventional manner, with unsuspected benefits over the copyholders known for use with typewriters. The invention is nevertheless unobtrusive in that the dust cover/copyholder is removably attached to the housing and is preferably comprised of a transparent or semi-transparent material, and does not block view of status-indicating lights which may be mounted on the keyboard. If the cover is raised, the CRT near which the keyboard is likely to be placed likewise remains in view either alongside or through the cover of the invention.